Monday leftovers

It has been Kevin Stefanski's way of being a respected head coach to protect his players publicly. It's a hard and fast rule to never speak negatively about any of his players.

He will always take the selfless route in the postmortems of games. "Blame me on that one," he will say about a bad or ill-timed play call. "That one is on me. I've got to clean that up." Pointing fingers of guilt at someone else is not in his playbook. The players love him for that and play harder.

It has become a staple to the point where you can expect it somewhere in the breakdown of every game. It's all very admirable. But every now and then, he should be taken literally instead of shrugging off the notion he is just deflecting.

Case in point took place three times in Sunday's disappointing loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles. The club's chief playcaller on offense, normally an aggressive, in-your-face type, went conservative and in the mind of numerous fans cost the Browns a victory.  

Waning seconds of the first half, Browns up 17-13 and the defense makes a play deep in Chargers territory, safety Grant Delpit causing a turnover with a jarring hit on running back Austin Ekeler at the LA 22. Thirty-eight seconds left and not one shot at the end zone. A 31-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin was the parting gift.

More coaching brain farts occurred late in the zany fourth quarter on consecutive possessions as Stefanski took his foot off the pedal. The most egregious arrived shortly after the Browns ducked a bullet when Chargers kicker Tristan Vizcaino missed his second point-after of the afternoon and maintained a one-point lead at 42-41 with 3:15 left in regulation. 

Three ineffective plays, including a puzzling draw play on third and 10 that gained three yards, had Browns fans wondering what the hell was happening. Such a peaceful surrender with the lead was antithetical to Stefanski's basic offensive philosophy.

The resultant Jamie Gillan short punt was returned into Cleveland territory, setting up the Chargers' winning touchdown against a worn-out Cleveland defense, setting up Stefanski's third tactical and/or strategic error of the day.

After allowing (helping?) Ekeler to score that touchdown, the Browns still had 91 seconds (and no timeouts) to maneuver into position to be in position to win the game. The Browns ran 10 plays (including two spikes) in that span and advanced the ball just 22 yards.

Noy once did Baker Mayfield attempt a sideline pass to stop the clock. Everything was in bounds and relatively short. Not one receiver made himself available to make a play. In situations like this, Mayfield needed his most reliable receiver. But Jarvis Landry, who always seems to come through in the clutch, is stuck on injured reserve with a sprained MCL.

Yes, Stefanski has to work with whoever is available, But if it worked for the first 50 or so minutes of the game, there was no reason to believe it wouldn't at that point of the game. The fact it didn't makes me wonder whether Stefanski in games like this with so much going on and whose outcome is determined in the final moments needs help. It happened in the season opener in Kansas City and now this.

He is the head coach who is responsible for all aspects of the team. Maybe it's time in moments like this he cedes temporary control of the offense to Alex Van Pelt, whose lone responsibility as coordinator is to  just that side of the ball. 

His deflection this time takes on a greater meaning because of the result of the game. Once again, he pointed fingers at himself. "I need to do a better job," he said for the umpteenth time. "I share in that loss just like everybody else does. . . We're going to win these games together and lose these games together. I need to do a better job."

He might start by looking at the big picture instead of the one he has taken on himself. No, this one he blew all by himself by not being himself when it counted most.

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There seems to be a growing conclusion that Mayfield and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. are just not a good fit. Mounting evidence points heavily in that direction

Ever since Beckham arrived in a trade from the New York Giants a couple of years ago, he and his quarterback have rarely been on the same page. He was supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle, bringing along a sterling reputation as one of the best receivers in the NFL.

And yet, the two have connected roughly 55% of the time in 26 games. That is not nearly enough for this tandem. They have played together enough now to have serious doubts whether they will ever become effective.

In the Chargers loss, it was as though Beckham was a spare part. He was on the field for 58 (of 71) snaps and was targeted just three times. Three measly times for the club's No. 1 receiver. Donovan People-Jones and Rashard Higgins were thrown to 12 times.

Beckham caught two passes for 20 yards, but it was the one he didn't catch fans will remember. Mid second quarter, the Browns trailing 13-10 and driving nicely. Fourth and two at the Los Angeles 17 and another Stefanski fourth-down gamble instead of a field goal.

Beckham runs a shallow cross right to left and Mayfield targets him for the first time and hits him in stride in first-down territory. The perfectly thrown pass leaks through his hands into his pads and flutters harmlessly to the ground. Browns Nation gasps. 

With the trading deadline looming in about three weeks, what else do the Browns need to see to convince them that holding on to Beckham isn't in the best interests of the team? Hasn't General Manager Andrew Berry seen enough?

As much as Beckham made his reputation in New York with Eli Manning, it has been quite the opposite in Cleveland. There is no evidence that points to the situation changing. Ignoring him Sunday was borderline insulting to the star, who complains when he doesn't see the ball enough.

It would not surprise if he quietly asks to be shipped out to a team that appreciates his talents and has a quarterback who can cater to them.

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I come from the school that believes officiating does not determine the outcome of games. Players and coaches do. There are way too many mistakes by players in the game of football that factor into the equation. 

Yes, officials make mistakes. They are human,. That's why instant replay has been used as an officiating tool to correct those errors. And generally, it has been effective.

I bring this up because a couple of bad calls against the Browns Sunday have been used as reasons they lost Sunday.  Uh, no. The Browns lost because the defense collapsed. It had nothing left in the tank in the fourth quarter when the Chargers scored touchdowns on four straight possessions, gaining a robust 262 yards that took only six minutes and 26 seconds off the clock.

That is what lost that game. Not the officiating, although I can't quarrel with the terrible call on Browns cornerback A.J. Green, who was flagged for pass interference against the Chargers' Mike Williams on a fourth and four from the LA 41 midway through the final quarter.

Replay clearly showed Willians tugging at Green's jersey as the two wrestled for the pass, which fell incomplete. The nearest official to the play only watched. The trailing official did not see the jersey tug and threw his flag. The 33-yard penalty enabled the Chargers to go on and tie the game at 35-35. Marginal call at best, but it happens.

No mention of the final play of the Minnesota game when Browns cornerback Greedy Williams all but mugged Adam Thielen of the Vikings in the end zone on a Hail Mary and did not draw laundry. Somehow, these things have a way of evening out.

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It's time for the front office to reevaluate punter Jamie Gillan and perhaps bring in some free agents to challenge him because he seems to be regressing. 

His fine rookie season saw him average 46.2 yards a boot and 28 of his 63 punts land inside the 20-yard line. Last season, his average dropped to 44 yards per with only 14 of his 51 punts landing inside the 20. This season, the average has dipped to 41.8 yards with only five of his 15 punts inside the 20.

His diminishing numbers is a warning sign right now, His lack of distance has to be a concern. And who can forget his mishandling a snap in the season opener in Kansas City that led directly to the Chiefs' comeback?

The Scottish Hammer seems to have lost his effectiveness as someone coached to dictate field position for the defense. His weak 42-yard punt late in the fourth quarter Sunday enabled the Chargers to begin their game-winning drive in Cleveland territory. 

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Finally . . . The Browns became the first team in National Football League history to lose a game where they scored at least 40 points and did not turn the ball over. Until Sunday, NFL teams were 463-0 in such games. . . . Now that he has proven he can be a dangerous target, it's time to integrate tight end David Njoku more heavily into the offense. His seven-catch (on seven targets), 149-yard, one touchdown day was a personal best and should elevate him over Austin Hooper. . . . Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt keep getting better. Since a modest 116-yard opener, the duo has combined for 502 yards on the ground in the last four games and accounted for nine of the club's 16 touchdowns overall. . . . Reviving the Andy Janovich meme: Why is he still on the roster? Only six snaps against the Chargers. 

Side note: There will be no mid-week thoughts this week.